Verizon continues negotiations with unions representing more than 37,000 East wireline employees.

NEW YORK – Verizon announced this morning it will continue negotiations with the CWA and IBEW to reach agreements on new contracts covering more than 37,000 Wireline employees in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. The contracts expired at midnight, Aug. 1, 2015. Although new agreements have not been reached, no strike has been called and employees will continue to work as negotiations continue.

“We are disappointed that after six weeks of good faith bargaining and a very strong effort by the company, we have been unable to reach new agreements with the unions,” said Marc Reed, Verizon’s chief administrative officer. “Our employees will remain on the job serving the needs of our customers. In the meantime, we’ll continue to meet with union leadership with the goal of reaching agreements that are good for our customers and our employees and put Verizon’s Wireline unit on a path toward success in the years to come.”

Last night, Verizon presented the unions with a comprehensive counter-proposal. The offer included changes to the company’s previous proposals on healthcare benefits, retirement benefits and other subjects. The company’s proposal remains on the table at this time.

Over the past year, Verizon took extensive measures to ensure its customers would not be impacted by any potential work stoppage. Thousands of non-union Verizon employees and business partners have undergone extensive training in various network and customer service functions, including FiOS, copper repair and maintenance, and general customer service functions.

“Millions of Americans rely on Verizon for the ability to communicate, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” said Reed. “We remain fully prepared to handle any work stoppage so that our products and services will be available where and when our customers need them.”

The company’s East associates work in nine states from Massachusetts to Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Proposing a solid wage increase up front, Verizon held its first negotiating session today with representatives of the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers on contracts covering approximately 38,000 Verizon East Wireline Employees.